Gosh oh golly, I bought a Dolly.
Discussion
NB: Ray Doyle's Dolomite Sprint was white.
I do, however, have some suitably cheesy 70s clothing and big-ass shades to wear with the motah.
EDIT: I am wrong - it was Bodie who had the white Sprint. Doyle had a P6 and then a TR7, while Cowley had an SD1 and some Princesses, before they all got Fords (Capris, Escorts, Grannies).
I do, however, have some suitably cheesy 70s clothing and big-ass shades to wear with the motah.
EDIT: I am wrong - it was Bodie who had the white Sprint. Doyle had a P6 and then a TR7, while Cowley had an SD1 and some Princesses, before they all got Fords (Capris, Escorts, Grannies).
Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 9th April 18:36
aeropilot said:
I'd say it was more likely it was an auto, rather than because it was Mimosa. ...
I agree. Many 70s autoboxes tended to be a bit meh at the best of times, and putting one in a Sprint was a distinctly pointless thing to do. Having a sporty 70s British or European car with an autobox is like kissing your sister!I like the 135 badge! At least Triumph were disinclined to fib about the BHP by selling the car as the Dolly 135 (the nominal rating for the standard cars was 127). Lotus, of course, were terrible fibbers (because Colin Chapman), and sold the Elan Plus Two S 130/5 on the basis that 130 stood for BHP (this was a fib). 5 stood for 5 speed gearbox (this was not a fib).
The dice came with the car. They nearly went straight in the bin, but gained a reprieve, and now spend most of their time in the glovebox, but they come out occasionally when I am feeling sufficiently retro-hipster faux ironic.
I was born in 1962, and turned 18 in 1980, so I cherish the 70s. Dodgy politics, but great clothes, great music, great cars, and also lots of social mobility and technological advances.
I was born in 1962, and turned 18 in 1980, so I cherish the 70s. Dodgy politics, but great clothes, great music, great cars, and also lots of social mobility and technological advances.
Johnspex said:
I had a Sprint about 35 years ago but it just dawned on me how much difference the vinyl roof and c pillars make to it.
I agree - the car doesn't look quite right without the vinyl. I know that vinyl roofs can be a rust-trap nightmare, but yay seventies!The Dolomite is not, in my eyes, one of Michelotti's best designs. It's a tad frumpy and upright, and (being from the sixties) looks more sixties than seventies. It does look OK in Sprint guise, but maybe only just, and it is a pity that there was no two door Sprint to rival the two door BMW 2002 tii. The Sprint was a budget-based bodgemobile, right from the start. It's a wonder that it lasted long as it did and did as well as it did, given what a compromised thing it was, and given the problems with build quality.
This is an intelligent article by a US classic car journo comparing the Sprint to the 2002 tii (he owns one of each). He knows his history, and reflects on what might have happened in the alternate reality in which Triumph lived on to become the British BMW. It remains a sad irony that Triumph now exists only as a name owned and kept in a locked drawer by ... BMW.
http://www.automobilemag.com/news/triumph-dolomite...
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 10th April 09:18
As for variable engine power when new, I have owned three Lotus 900 Series engines (from 1980, 1984 and 1990), and they did seem to vary a lot in punchiness, although by the late 80s Lotus had really sorted that lovely engine (which you can tune up to silly power outputs if you are a nutter and don't mind it exploding) . It is I think one of the best sounding four cylinder engines, especially when paired with a couple of big Dellortos. It is a pity that Lotus did not bung fuel injection on it in its later days.
I have been learning about the Ford Cologne V6 since obtaining a one third share in a Granada Ghia X Estate, which has a 2.8 litre Cologne with a single carb. I am told that some of these were fast cars straight out of the box, and others were slow, which goes to show that even 80s German car workers could be lazy when they wanted to be. The one that I have a share in is a fast one. It won't win any traffic light drag races (big car, three speed autobox), but once it gets going it is pretty foomy.
I have been learning about the Ford Cologne V6 since obtaining a one third share in a Granada Ghia X Estate, which has a 2.8 litre Cologne with a single carb. I am told that some of these were fast cars straight out of the box, and others were slow, which goes to show that even 80s German car workers could be lazy when they wanted to be. The one that I have a share in is a fast one. It won't win any traffic light drag races (big car, three speed autobox), but once it gets going it is pretty foomy.
I have been out and about spotting heaps in the heap: photos below. I also saw but could not photograph (because I was driving) a small convoy of MGBs that was led by an Austin Healey. None of the miserable sods gave me a smile or a wave in return for my cheery greeting. Tweed wearing sixties sports car dullards with briar pipes, and food in their beards, I expect. I have twice spotted a red TR6 recently, once driven by an old dude who did wave, and the next time driven by (presumably) his too cool for school son who was too busy being awesome in his shades to notice other road users gurning at him.
In the photos below, the blue MG is a daily driver that lives outdoors all year. It is owned by a cheery looking non pipe smoker. The Scimitar (an SE5 manual) belongs to a pleasant father and son combo who own a large collection of British jalopies.
Stopping at a local BP garage /Co-op shop yesterday to buy some wine on the way home from work, the young bloke behind the counter admired the Dolly and impressed me by telling me that he has a 1989 Rangey Classic as his daily. He's just fitted a Holley Carb to it in order to make his MPG even more bonkers.
In the photos below, the blue MG is a daily driver that lives outdoors all year. It is owned by a cheery looking non pipe smoker. The Scimitar (an SE5 manual) belongs to a pleasant father and son combo who own a large collection of British jalopies.
Stopping at a local BP garage /Co-op shop yesterday to buy some wine on the way home from work, the young bloke behind the counter admired the Dolly and impressed me by telling me that he has a 1989 Rangey Classic as his daily. He's just fitted a Holley Carb to it in order to make his MPG even more bonkers.
I agree. I am grateful to MG owners for leaving the motorways clear for Triumph-driving by always staying in the inside lane at 55 mph, although I am sorry for those driving lorries or towing caravans and horseboxes, who have to put up with this. When I saw the MG convoy with its Austin Healey flagship sail by, the cars were going in the opposite direction to me, but had we been going in the same direction I could probably have overtaken all of them at once without changing gear and well before the next bend (this being on a stretch of road where you normally get only one chance to overtake and have to be quick about it if the solitary chance comes up). Still, they have their hobby, so, bless.
I assume, BTW, that the Big Healey was on escort duty (perhaps it had been detailed to lead all the MGs to a scrapyard for humane destruction) and so could not hoon, as usually when I see Big Healeys they are hooning.
I assume, BTW, that the Big Healey was on escort duty (perhaps it had been detailed to lead all the MGs to a scrapyard for humane destruction) and so could not hoon, as usually when I see Big Healeys they are hooning.
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 11th April 17:26
Confession corner: I recently had a moment of insanity and came very close to buying an MGF, but as it turned out that the head gasket had gone before the purchase could be completed, I came to my senses and bailed. It is a pity about the OMGHGF on those cars, because a mid engined two seater that is said to handle well would otherwise be an attractive proposition, MG badge notwithstanding. I am told than MG RV8s are not bad things, but they are rare and not all that cheap.
If any of you were stuck in a traffic jam on the eastbound A40 (Westway) heading into central London near the Edgware Road on Thursday at about 4pm, that was my fault, sorry. The Dolomite conked out just before the flyover by Paddington Green cop shop. Cranking, not firing. No obvious sign of fuelling problems. I suspected a sparking problem but could not prove it.
Many motorists honked, swore and made Gareth Hunt coffee beans gestures at me, because of course I had broken down deliberately, obvs, and had carefully chosen to do so on a busy dual carriageway at rush hour just before a Bank Holiday weekend. If maybe two or three of the grumpy people had stopped and helped me push the car to a less obstructive location, they could have become less grumpy, but, hey.
Not to worry: four Met Police vehicles and eight coppers turned up in a matter of minutes. The first two to arrive (in a big van) were dour and grumpy, the other six were cheerful, and keen on the car. They towed the Dolly to a side street, and I got a short ride in the front of a standard Met traffic car (I wanted to go in the unmarked Volvo but went in the Battenberged Ford instead). They dumped the Dolly on zig zags outisde a closed school and went off, joking that they would send another crew along to nick me for zig zag parking. Many banters and jokes were exchanged, and there were numerous references to Bodie's Dolly in The Professionals.
The AA dude turned up soon afterwards. He was a burly lad in his thirties, and a competent chap, as AA dudes almost invariably are. It took him a few minutes to find that the connection between the King Lead and the Dizzy was bad. Car fixed. We then chatted for about twenty minutes about cars old and new, and then I bunged him a few quid to buy his missus some chocs, and off I went. He said that he expected to be spending the weekend dealing with crappy modern car computer problems, so he was happy to do something with an actual car.
While the bloke was fixing the car, a hot and posh woman in her twenties stopped to say how beautiful the car is, so even a broken down Dolomite Sprint can help you pull. After parking up at my destination, a London resident French MILF admired the car and tried to buy it. She gave me her phone number and asked for photos of my SD1. I have just been exchanging flirty texts with her in French.
Here is the car recovering from its adventures, with bonus "look how mahoosive modern cars are" photo action -
Many motorists honked, swore and made Gareth Hunt coffee beans gestures at me, because of course I had broken down deliberately, obvs, and had carefully chosen to do so on a busy dual carriageway at rush hour just before a Bank Holiday weekend. If maybe two or three of the grumpy people had stopped and helped me push the car to a less obstructive location, they could have become less grumpy, but, hey.
Not to worry: four Met Police vehicles and eight coppers turned up in a matter of minutes. The first two to arrive (in a big van) were dour and grumpy, the other six were cheerful, and keen on the car. They towed the Dolly to a side street, and I got a short ride in the front of a standard Met traffic car (I wanted to go in the unmarked Volvo but went in the Battenberged Ford instead). They dumped the Dolly on zig zags outisde a closed school and went off, joking that they would send another crew along to nick me for zig zag parking. Many banters and jokes were exchanged, and there were numerous references to Bodie's Dolly in The Professionals.
The AA dude turned up soon afterwards. He was a burly lad in his thirties, and a competent chap, as AA dudes almost invariably are. It took him a few minutes to find that the connection between the King Lead and the Dizzy was bad. Car fixed. We then chatted for about twenty minutes about cars old and new, and then I bunged him a few quid to buy his missus some chocs, and off I went. He said that he expected to be spending the weekend dealing with crappy modern car computer problems, so he was happy to do something with an actual car.
While the bloke was fixing the car, a hot and posh woman in her twenties stopped to say how beautiful the car is, so even a broken down Dolomite Sprint can help you pull. After parking up at my destination, a London resident French MILF admired the car and tried to buy it. She gave me her phone number and asked for photos of my SD1. I have just been exchanging flirty texts with her in French.
Here is the car recovering from its adventures, with bonus "look how mahoosive modern cars are" photo action -
williamp said:
[
Wine??? Dolly owners are real men who dont drink wine. Shandy Bass, Watney Party 7 or Hofmeister please. Babysham for the laydeez...
Nar, Dollies were marketed at Seventies Mr Smooth Guy McSmooth. Look at this ad for the 1850, noting the slagging off of stripes and Barry bits - BL then contradicted themselves and launched the Sprint with stripes and Barry bits.Wine??? Dolly owners are real men who dont drink wine. Shandy Bass, Watney Party 7 or Hofmeister please. Babysham for the laydeez...
gruffalo said:
I am not sure if I miss my old Sprint or not, mine went really well but sold it and got a Stag.
Nearly went back to a sprint but all the ones I test drove felt terrible so I gave up that idea and got an early XJS manual instead.
Thinking back all the cars I test drove had a webasto roof and I wonder if that is what made the cars feel so bad as my one didn't.
My one goes like a bomb, Webasto notwithstanding. Except when it breaks down, of course.Nearly went back to a sprint but all the ones I test drove felt terrible so I gave up that idea and got an early XJS manual instead.
Thinking back all the cars I test drove had a webasto roof and I wonder if that is what made the cars feel so bad as my one didn't.
I wanted a Stag and still want one, but am too skinteroo.
Vive l'Entente Cordiale!
Voici un lien vers une publicité française fruitée pour le Dolly Sprint. Ne convient pas au travail, ooh la la.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/44/84/a9...
Voici un lien vers une publicité française fruitée pour le Dolly Sprint. Ne convient pas au travail, ooh la la.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/44/84/a9...
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